1. aug/sep 2015 l world of cruisingworld of cruising l aug/sep 201582 83
c r u i s e c u i s i n e
Viking’s vision
for great food
A
bright star appeared in May. It had nothing
to do with the summer’s ‘Star of Bethlehem’
phenomenon as Jupiter and Venus danced
in the night sky; this was the first ship from
Viking Ocean Cruises sailing on her pre-christening voyage
from Istanbul.
Viking Star exudes a healthy blend of meticulous
design, peerless material quality and oodles of shipboard
sensitivity, as well as Viking River Cruises flair. In an assured
Scandinavian way the subtle, eye-catching design is more
about restraint and simplicity than decorative flourishes –
it’s simple, not minimal.
In many ways these qualities
also apply to the cuisine served
on board this first of a trio of
similar ships - with Viking Sea
appearing next spring and Viking
Sky in 2017 - offering destination-
focussed ocean cruising designed
for experienced travellers with an
interest in geography, culture and
history.
The ebullient chairman and
CEO of Viking Cruises, Torstein
Hagen is known for his forthright
views. Nowhere is he more candid
than when discussing cuisine.
“Our vision for the culinary
experience onboard our ships is
to offer great food that is locally
inspired,” boasts Hagen. “We do
not like to use the word ‘gourmet’
for the same reason we do not like
to use ‘luxury;’ we want to surpass
our guests’ expectations. We offer
multiple restaurants and food choices onboard Viking Star.
The Restaurant and the World Café serve a variety of
global cuisines and regional specialties. Mamsen’s, named
for my mother, serves Norwegian deli-style fare based on her
recipes, and the casual Pool Grill features classic favourites.”
Hagen was at one time CEO of Royal Viking Line,
a paragon of the cruise industry from 1972 to 1998, so
he has experience of up-market cruising. Continuing his
philosophy he adds, “Intimate dining experiences can be
found in our specialty restaurants, including The Chef’s
Table, Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant and The Kitchen
Table, all of which serve meals prepared with fresh, local
ingredients. In keeping with our commitment to no nickel-
and-diming, we do not charge guests a fee to dine in our
specialty restaurants.”
The man appointed to deliver this exacting cuisine
is 35-year-old Anthony Mauboussin, director of
culinary development. Based in the Viking’s operational
headquarters in Basle, Mauboussin - from the Charante-
Maritime region of France – he is no stranger to prestigious
cruise lines. He started his seagoing career as chef de cuisine
in the Michel Roux signature restaurant with Celebrity
Cruises before moving to Azamara as executive chef. In
2010 he moved to Oceania Cruises as executive chef before
joining The World in the same capacity.
The modest Mauboussin told me: “I was part of the
culinary launch team for Viking Ocean Cruises along with
Frederic Camonin - who spent five years with Celebrity and
seven with Azamara – and Hugo
Saldana who trained at the Paul
Bocuse Hospitality and Culinary
Arts Management Centre in Lyon.
“We took the best dishes we
had conceived for each menu and
put them through rigorous tests
during the month-long, pre-launch
training sessions with our on-board
galley team.”
Discussing Viking Ocean’s
approach to cuisine Mauboussin
points out, “Our vision is simple:
‘no fusion and without confusion’.
The 14 menus that cycle in The
Restaurant offer Mediterranean
and regional food, along with
American favourites and a
sprinkling of Asian influenced
dishes. We have 50 different
destination menus according to our
European ports of call throughout
the year. Incorporating fresh fish
and seafood where possible, these appear on every dinner
menu in The Restaurant under the ‘Regional Specialities
Tasting Menu’. There’s also a ‘Classics: Always Available’
section which includes Mr Hagen’s mother’s recipe for
Poached Norwegian Salmon with fresh picked cucumber
and boiled potatoes – one of our signature dishes.” (See
Recipe, Page 86)
One element of Viking Star’s dining experience proving
popular among passengers is the Chef’s Table, with set
menus based on the history of food. Taking guests on a
culinary journey they are ‘A Gastronomic Journey through
Time’; ‘Asian Panorama’; ‘La Route Des Indes’; ‘Venice
Carnival’; and ‘Sweet and Salty’.
I was particularly impressed with Star’s quality of
cuisine, nowhere more so that in Manfredi’s, which recreates
a traditional Italian restaurant. Fresh fish from reliable
By GARY BUCHANAN
Our approach is
simple: ‘no fusion and
without confusion’
Anthony Mauboussin
director of culinary development
In Manfredi’s
Italian restaurant,
freshly-made pasta
features daily on
the menu

2. aug/sep 2015 l world of cruisingworld of cruising l aug/sep 201584 85
x x x x x xc r u i s e c u i s i n e
My wife and I are regular cruisers
from Southampton and we recently
picked up a copy of your magazine
before departing for a wonderful 17
days on Arcadia to Venice.
In the June/July issue there is a
recipe for ‘Cornish Steak Pasties’.
I am a Cornishman and this recipe
is NOT going to produce a Cornish
Pasty (or pastie).
Firstly, the Cornish Pastie is
protected under European Law as
a food item that can only be made
in Cornwall. That law also states
what the ingredients for the pastie
should be.
As a fundamental error in the list of
ingredients:
Celeriac is never used
◆
The filling is never pre-cooked
◆
The P&O recipe has no swede
or onion
I suggest whoever offered this
recipe should be warned of their
errors. By all means call it a pastie
but please, please, don’t associate
this (probably very nice) item with
Cornwall.
Sorry, we are very proud of our
Cornish identity and the pastie.
Good magazine though,
George and
Deb Williams
(by email)
suppliers features daily, as does freshly-made pasta.
“We serve the finest US Black Angus prime beef;
mozzarella di buffalo; prosciutto; and olive oils; as well as
‘00’ flour for our authentic breads,” said Mauboussin.
I had one reservation, however - the restricted choice
in the World Café, which is open for breakfast, lunch and
dinner. Mouboussin was quick to defend this approach to
buffet-style dining,
Mauboussin explained: “The slightly limited selection
reflects our ethos of quality rather than quantity. We believe
an upscale product in the World Café is better appreciated
by our guests. The lunch and dinner buffets have the same
selection as The Restaurant with the addition of fresh sushi
as well as seafood, pasta, steaks and Asian wok dishes - all
cooked to order.”
L
ike many discoveries on Viking Star, my encounter
with Mamsen’s was fortuitous. I arrived at the World
Café for breakfast just as it was closing; fortunately
an obliging steward pointed me towards the starboard side
of the Explorer’s Lounge on Deck 7. Here I found I could
indulge in a Norwegian breakfast until 10am and I could
have made a day of it as there was a small Nordic buffet
from 11.30am until 2pm; coffee and cake between 4pm and
5pm; and midnight snacks from 10pm until midnight.
Tor Hagen’s daughter Karine enlightened me: “My
grandmother’s kitchen celebrated traditional and healthy,
home-cooked food. In the winter, when the sun hardly
rose, she made hearty soups and stews from scratch. In the
summer, when the sun hardly set, we ate lighter fare of
cured meats and fish, and open-faced sandwiches which we
call smǿrbrǿd.
“Year-round, the special treats were her heart-shaped
waffles, for which every grandmother in Norway has her
own fiercely-protected recipe, served with jam or typical
brown goat cheese.” The waffles were a highlight of my
breakfasts– the recipe was instilled in the chefs by none
other than Tor’s sister in the run-up to the ship’s christening
in Bergen.
To ensure tastes in Mamsen’s fare are authentic,
Anthony Mauboussin spent three weeks studying under
Walter Kielijer in his renowned Frognerseteren Restaurant
near Oslo. I savoured many fruits of his labours including
Atlantic shrimp, Steak Tartare and Gravlax.
Another popular facet of Viking Ocean’s approach to
cuisine is the enriching culinary immersion that is ‘The
Kitchen Table’. For $299 each, up to 12 guests accompany
the executive chef on a visit to a local market to hand-
pick ingredients which are prepared and cooked later that
day. The meal is served in the evening and paired with
Champagne, wine and port in a convivial dinner party
environment.
The Kitchen Table is also the venue for the themed
French and Italian menus that are prepared in the Cookery
School. During my cruise I joined nine fellow passengers
under the tutelage of Chef Hugo Saldana who swapped
his homeland of Mexico for France to pursue a culinary
career. We spent an informative and enjoyable three hours
learning the intricacies of preparing Duck Confit and Wild
Mushroom Risotto and Truffle Oil; Saltimbocca Romana
Style; and the king of Italian desserts, Tiramisu.
While Tor Hagen might not like to use the word
‘gourmet’ when referring to the array of culinary treats on
offer aboard Viking Star, I found meals and snacks to be
unalloyed delights. Not only did I appreciate the pared-
down, neutral Zen elegance that permeates all nine decks of
Viking Star, I admired the spectrum of cuisine which boasts
contemporary nuances while at the same time is tempered
with a classical approach. In the footsteps of the Vikings,
this culinary journey was an appetising quest.
Mr Hagen’s mother’s recipe
for Poached Norwegian
Salmon with fresh picked
cucumber and boiled
potatoes is one of the
signature dishes
Food for
thought
clock wise from top le f t Manfredi's
restaurant; The Aquavit terrace; fresh pickled
cucumber; the main cafe; the restaurant

3. Serves 4
Poached Norwegian salmon
With fresh pickled cucumber and boiled potato
Method
For the sauce
Heat cream gently to reduce by half. Melt the butter at maximum 80°C,
season with salt and pepper, add chopped chives.
For the cucumber
Peel the cucumber, slice whole (with seeds) and marinate with salt. Cover
with clingfilm and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Gently squeeze out the liquid.
Bring the vinegar and sugar to the boil and pour over sliced cucumber to
cover. Cover with cling film and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Drain and
reserve.
For the potatoes
Scrub clean but do not peel. Boil in salted water until done.
Poach the salmon in court bouillon of choice. Serve with chive sauce and
cucumbers on the side.
Ingredients
◆ 4 pieces of Norwegian
salmon
(about 170 grams each)
◆ 1.5 litres court bouillon
◆ 200 grams of fingerling
potatoes
Pickled cucumber
◆ 15 slices of fresh
cucumber
(about 3mm thick)
◆ Salt
◆ 30 grams sugar
◆ 250 grams rice wine
vinegar
◆ ½ sprig of Tarragon
Chive sauce
◆ ½ litre double cream
◆ 75 grams butter
◆ Salt and pepper
◆ 10 grams fresh chives,
chopped
Garnish (optional)
◆ Lemon slices
◆ Salmon caviar
◆ Watercress
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